


Full Circle

by Cameo (CameoSF)



Series: Debts of Honor [4]
Category: Eroica Yori Ai o Komete | From Eroica with Love, Third Reich - Fandom
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-01-02
Updated: 2015-01-02
Packaged: 2018-03-05 00:08:42
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 7,737
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3097640
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/CameoSF/pseuds/Cameo
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>All debts are paid in full.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Full Circle

**Author's Note:**

> Not even any violence in this one!

**DEBTS OF HONOR**

**Full Circle**

 

            Klaus was relieved to escape the reception before midnight.  He hated NATO gatherings where he was expected to be civil to strangers, and his Chief knew it; that’s why he’d been required to attend.  He was still being punished for his lapse in giving classified information to a group of neo-Nazi kidnappers a few months earlier.  It didn’t matter that they’d all been rounded up afterwards and incarcerated.  The Chief didn’t often get an opportunity to see the bane of his life squirm, so he was making the most of it.

            The carpark was huge and relatively empty since the other guests were still inside wasting time and brain-cells.  Klaus was just about to unlock his vehicle when he sensed someone nearby.  Hyper-cautious since the neo-Nazi incident, he drew his gun at once, aiming at a shadow that detached itself from the wall to stroll forward.

            “Hello, Major,” the apparition said.  It wore all black, which just made the face seem paler, the dark eyes larger. 

            Klaus was taken aback, but he did not lower his guard. “Lay down your weapon please.”

            “I come in peace,” Valery stated.  He didn’t even take his hands out of his pockets. “I need your help.”

            The Major’s heart skipped a beat. “Is it Dorian?”

            “No.”

            “Do not tell me that your Sebastian has gone missing?”

            Valery did not smile at what was meant to be a joke. “Can we go somewhere safe to talk?”

            “Come.” Deciding to take a chance, Klaus gestured him into the car.  They left the carpark in silence and drove till they reached a deserted road.  Pulling onto the verge, Klaus killed the motor, lit a cigarette, and turned to his passenger.

            Valery still looked pale, and smaller than ever.  Klaus’s unexpected reaction was to want to comfort him.  Disdaining such thoughts, he waited for the other to speak.

            “What I tell you here must be kept between us.” Valery finally began, facing Klaus somberly. “NATO is not to know.  I need your help, but I cannot risk this information getting out.  It is literally a matter of life and death.”

            “When is it not?”

            “Major, do I have your word?”

            Klaus shook his head. “I cannot promise to conceal information when I do not know what it is.” Valery turned away, but Klaus was sure he saw a tear come to his eye.  He felt like a heel, albeit a righteous one. “How did you know where to find me?”

            “... I have a contact within NATO.  An innocent one, I assure you.”

            “How can he be innocent?  Does he know you work for the COA?”          

            “Yes, but so do you, and our association is innocent, isn’t it?” Valery spoke as if he didn’t hear what he was saying.  His soft voice was strained. “Major, I don’t know where else to go.  You once said you owed me.”

            “Yes, a debt of honor which I cannot repay by performing dishonorably towards my country.”

            “Sebastian is missing and the COA doesn’t know it,” Valery said flatly, rendering Klaus speechless with the consequences.  He turned to face him again. “Besides us, only three people know, and they can be trusted.  No one else must find out.  Our enemies outside the COA would consider us weakened and attack.  Our enemies within the COA would try to replace him.”

            “You have enemies within your organization?” Klaus repeated, his mind working even through his astonishment. “How do you know one of them hasn’t abducted your Sebastian?”

            “They wouldn’t dare.  He is the one chosen to rule.  But if he were dead, another would be chosen.  And...” Valery’s voice actually failed him, and Klaus realized he was at the end of his rope.

            “How long has he been missing?”

            “Two weeks.”

            “How have you kept it secret so long?”

            “We’ve said he’s on holiday in Greece.  The other two people in the COA who know are his closest friend and his doctor.  They’re supposedly with him, and they send messages back in his name.  But he cannot stay away much longer without someone getting suspicious.”

            “You said three other people know,” Klaus reminded him.

            “The other is Dorian.  I called him today.  He’ll be here tomorrow.”

            The Major stifled a groan, although not for the usual reason.  He hadn’t seen his thief for months, and he’d preferred it that way.  The more time he spent with Dorian, the harder it was to hate the man, and any alternative was unacceptable.  He’d gotten far too used to having the blond pervert around while he was in the hospital, and had even missed him when he’d returned home.  The last thing he wanted was Dorian’s proximity again this soon.

            “Where are you staying?” he asked.  Valery shrugged, as if that too were unimportant compared to his crisis. “You may sleep at my flat tonight.”

            “Thank you... Does this mean you’ll help me find him?  Without revealing to NATO that he’s missing?”

            Klaus concluded his head needed examining. “Yes.” Valery exhaled in heartfelt relief and sent Klaus a look that made the German catch his breath.  This time he recognized the sensation. “But if you attempt to seduce me, my promise is null.  I cannot work with two of you being degenerate fools.  Do I have your word on that?”

            “Certainly.” Valery sounded amused. “I would never attempt to seduce you, Major.”

            “Good.”

            Klaus’s flat was unused to visitors, but that didn’t mean the Major wasn’t prepared.  He made up the sofa for himself and gave Valery the bed.  It was his intention to go directly to sleep, but as he lay wondering what he was getting himself into now, he heard odd sounds from the bedroom.  After twenty minutes he had to get up and investigate.

            Valery was sitting on the bed, his back to the door, slowly brushing out his hair in long, graceful strokes.  He wore one of Klaus’s dressing gowns, the sleeves rolled up to expose slender wrists.  It hung half off one thin shoulder.

            “Are you all right?” Klaus asked quietly.

            “No.  I’m worried,” Valery answered without turning around.

            “Do you have reason to believe your Sebastian is dead?”

            “I have no idea.  I pray he’s not.  But even if...” He changed his words in mid-sentence. “If he doesn’t return, I don’t know what I’m going to do.  My choices are not very attractive.” 

            “What do you mean?”             Valery stopped brushing. “I am bodyguard to the ruler.  If someone takes Sebastian’s place, I will be expected to serve him the same way.  If I refuse, a new bodyguard will be brought in.  He may challenge me.  Or they may simply order me to leave the COA.  Either way... I don’t know what I’m going to do.”

            Klaus wasn’t sure what he’d just been told.  He wasn’t good with subtleties, so he couldn’t judge whether Valery was preparing to mourn a lost lover, a lost job, or a lost life.  He just knew that his guest was unhappy and scared.  Again he wanted to offer comfort, but the only way he could imagine was impossible.

            “I wish Dorian was here,” Valery murmured under his breath, which told Klaus that they were thinking along the same lines.  Dorian would have taken Valery into his arms in a minute.

            “So do I,” Klaus replied, the only response he could make to let the other know he understood.  After another moment, the Major returned to his sofa and ordered himself to sleep.

            Next day their wishes were granted: Dorian arrived bright and early, and let himself in despite the expensive locks on Klaus’s door.  He was leaning over the sofa smiling when the Major opened his eyes.

            “Good morning, darling,” he greeted the glowering German.  Klaus would have preferred a few moments to orient himself before dealing with his nemesis, but he had to admit he was glad to see the pest. “I assume Valery is here, or you would be in your own bed.  May I say how pleased I am that you spurned sharing a bed with him just as you would with me--”

            “Shut up, Idiot,” Klaus growled, rising.  He tied a robe around himself at once, over his pajamas. “Let him sleep if he is able.  Just make some coffee while I shower.”

            Dorian raised his eyebrows, either at the Major’s consideration or at his assumption that Dorian would play domestic, but he didn’t argue.  Klaus showered, dressed, and returned to the living room to find both his guests sitting at the table sipping Nescafe.  As expected, Valery was drowning in his host’s dressing gown, and looked quite appealing in the process.  Dorian merely looked perky and healthy and annoyingly wide awake.

            He broke off what he was saying when Klaus appeared, and there was an odd silence.

            “I am ready to hear the details now,” Klaus hinted, pouring himself a cup and lighting a cigarette. “How much do you know, Dorian?”

            “I know a bit...” For some reason, the thief sounded guarded. “Valery?”

            “Sebastian was at a party,” Valery began easily enough, his emotions once more under control. “He’d picked up a boy, a stranger.  I saw them leave together.  It wasn’t unusual.  Sebastian wasn’t terribly concerned about his safety because he always had bodyguards or other COA members around him.  It wasn’t unheard of for him to lose us without meaning to simply because he wasn’t paying attention.  He disappeared on us every other week or so, and while it was nerve-wracking, it was always false alarms.  We expected him to turn up in the morning, with or without his paramour, and not think twice about it.  This time he didn’t turn up.”

            “And the paramour?” Dorian inquired.

            “No one knew who he was.  It was that kind of party.” Valery sighed. “Sebastian had a habit of picking up a certain type of boy.  Traps had been laid for him before, but this one wasn’t...” He blushed slightly. “Wasn’t one he would keep for long.  I know the signs, and this one would have been a one-night stand.”

            “Has the boy been seen since?”

            “We don’t know where to look.”

            Klaus frowned again. “I do not see why you do not suspect your enemies within the COA.  If they knew what sort of bait to use, and that your Sebastian regularly slipped away from his bodyguards, what was there to stop them from luring him off?”

            “Retaliation, if they attempted such a thing and failed.” Valery met his eyes. “You are forgetting to whom you’re speaking, Major.  I’ve seen NATO’s file on me, so you can’t pretend not to know what I am.  Our enemies fear me.  That is what there was to stop them.  Besides, if they had him, they would have exposed our deception by now.”

            He was right that Klaus had momentarily forgotten that this man in need of help was normally in need of arresting.  It irked him that he had to be reminded. “How can you have seen NATO’s file?” he demanded.

            “That isn’t important--”

            “It is if your contact is leaking top secret documents to members of criminal organizations.”         “Your contact?” Dorian jumped in, possibly to distract the Major, possibly because he was really curious.

            “Do you know who it is?” Klaus scowled at Dorian on principal.

            “I’m not sure.  Do I?” Dorian met Valery’s eyes and suddenly grinned. “Oh, I do.”

            “It’s irrelevant to the matter at hand,” Valery insisted. “What’s important is that we don’t have much time to find Sebastian before others within the COA seize power.  That must not happen!”

            Klaus was close to losing his temper at the pair of them. “Perhaps your Sebastian decided to abdicate,” he suggested just to be contrary. “Perhaps he disappeared deliberately.”    

            “He wouldn’t do that.”

            “He may plan to contact you later--”

            “No, not because of me!” Valery’s voice rose for the first time, and Klaus guessed he had yet to hear the full story.  To his surprise, Dorian agreed.

            “You’d better tell him everything,” the Englishman urged sincerely.  Valery shook his head, but he was cornered and seemed to realize it.  He drank his coffee, the only delaying tactic available to him, then sat back.

            “All right.  I’ll tell you, but this information is so delicate, only you two, Sebastian, and I will know it.  If anyone else finds out, it would mean his death, and probably mine as well.” He stared into Klaus’s eyes till he was satisfied that the German understood the seriousness of what he was about to reveal. “Sebastian is not the Chosen One.  He’s an impostor.” Klaus was aware his jaw had dropped, but he was too stunned to raise it. “The real Chosen One is dead.  It was thought he’d died in a fire several years ago, so some of his followers came to Sebastian and offered him the chance to take his place.  Sebastian could be his twin, they look that much alike, but they were very different in personality.  The Chosen One wanted world domination.  He believed in what the COA stood for, and he was willing to destroy whatever he had to in order to restore the Third Reich to power.  Sebastian took his place because it allowed him to prevent the COA from taking that power.  It is due to his leadership that the COA has not proceeded with its plan to rise again.  It is Sebastian who dictates that we wait for a time that will never come.

            “He fooled me too at first, until I saw his taste in lovers.  The Chosen One was not attracted to boys, nor to me.  He kept me with him because of an old prophecy.” Valery waved that aspect away, as if he hadn’t meant to mention it, so Klaus resolved to follow it up later. “Sebastian managed to sway me to his way of thinking.  It wasn’t difficult; I’d grown tired of killing, tired of the deception and violence within the COA.  Sebastian offered something different, so I pledged to keep his secret, and to stay with him as if he were the Chosen One.  Without my allegiance, he would not have been able to pull it off; with it, he has successfully impersonated the Chosen One for years.”

            “And you fell in love with him,” Dorian observed.

            “Yes.  I couldn’t love the Chosen One.  But Sebastian... took me by surprise.  My loyalty is to him now, not to the COA.  I will not serve any other ruler.” Valery turned from one to the other of his listeners. “If he is gone, the COA will return to what it was.  We must prevent that.”

            Klaus couldn’t help but contemplate the use he could make of this information, if only he hadn’t given his word.  One little hint among the COA that their ruler was a fraud and there would be total chaos, factions fighting factions, leaving them all fair game for NATO to sweep up.  On the other hand, Klaus could not risk allowing the COA to gain strength enough to realize their original goals.  He ground his teeth in frustration, then looked up and saw that his thoughts weren’t exactly hidden.  Valery appeared frightened, and even Dorian seemed uncertain what his Major would do.

            “Your Sebastian is to be admired for the risk he is taking,” he finally stated. “The COA must not be allowed to rise, therefore we must find him quickly.”

            “Thank you, Major!” Valery exclaimed, taking Klaus’s hand in both of his.

            “Yes, thank you, darling,” Dorian echoed.  Not to be outdone, he picked up Klaus’s other hand and caressed it lovingly.  Caught between the two of them, Klaus considered exploding, then decided he needn’t waste the energy.

            “Don’t push it,” he simply snapped, withdrawing his hands and rising. “Get dressed,” he instructed Valery. “I’ll see what I can find out.”

            It turned out that Dorian provided the first lead.  While Klaus went to NATO, which was all too common on a Sunday, and searched their thousands of records for word of a recent kidnapping, Dorian stayed at the flat with Valery.  By the time Klaus got home, Dorian had made half a dozen phone calls and had encouraging news.

            “As soon as I heard the party had taken place in London,” he explained cheerfully, “it struck me that I might be able to track down the paramour.  I know people who move in those circles,” he added cryptically. “I called around, and someone knew someone who thinks he knows the boy’s name.  So we need to fly to London immediately.”

            Klaus was staring. “I beg your pardon?  You could not call to let me know this before I spent six hours on a computer?” He didn’t add that he’d had no luck whatsoever, that in fact it had taken him that long because he’d been reluctant to return without some positive data.

            “Sorry, darling,” Dorian said, but not sincerely enough to suit the Major. “We packed for you, and Valery’s jet will be ready in an hour--”

            “You went into my closet--!”

            “Just to save time.  I have a rental car downstairs.  Shall we go?”

            Klaus turned to Valery, who had sat quietly by while Dorian breezed around the flat.  He was all huge eyes and white face again. “You agree with this idiot?”

            “I think his sources may lead us to the boy.  Even if he doesn’t know where Sebastian is, he must know something useful.  Anything will do at this point.”

            “All right.  We will go to London,” Klaus conceded.  This won him a miffed look from Dorian, and that made the whole fuss worthwhile.  He almost enjoyed leaving a message at NATO that he needed a few days’ leave.

            In London Dorian got on the phone again, dialing number after number from memory.  He spoke rapidly, pacing the floor of the salon in his townhouse and smoothly stepping over and around his guests.  In a gratifyingly short time he had the information they sought.

            “His name is Binky,” he told them.  Klaus frowned, certain he’d misheard the name, but Dorian went on as if it were common. “He lives in the East End, and he was seen just last night at a club.  A friend of a friend of a friend predicts he’ll be back there tonight.”

            “A club?”

            “Yes, darling, a gay bar.  If you aren’t up for going, Valery and I can do it alone.”

            Klaus refused to groan aloud. “You swear this is not a trick?”

            “It isn’t.” Valery spoke up. “Sebastian often went to gay clubs.” He did not look pleased about it, and his dejection was enough to make up Klaus’s mind.

            “Let us go,” he said reluctantly.

            It was not the experience he’d been expecting: for one thing, the club was more tasteful than Klaus had pictured, and for another, no one outside his own party made a pass at him.  All the men behaved discreetly, even while picking each other up.  Once Klaus had made it obvious that he wasn’t there for that purpose they steered clear of him, and for good measure also steered clear of Valery and Dorian.  Both would have had a multitude of admirers if not for the German’s steady glare, but Dorian acted oddly unconcerned.  Instead he made sure Klaus got his full attention.

            Valery seemed as oblivious to their squabbles as he was to his would-be suitors.  He planted himself at one end of the bar and watched everyone who passed by.  He hadn’t changed clothes or gotten a good night’s sleep in weeks, but even Klaus had to admit to himself that Valery looked beguiling with his sad eyes and downturned mouth.  In fact, although it would have taken hot pincers to make him say it aloud, Klaus fancied that he was with the two most attractive men in the room.  It made his glare rather smug.

            Then Dorian got in his face again.

            “You’re scaring them off,” the thief accused, tossing his curls.  Klaus yearned to grip a handful of them and shake them till his brains rattled. “How are we going to find Binky if no one dares come near us?”

            He was right; other patrons had cleared a wide space around them.  Before Klaus could suggest a solution, Valery stood up.

            “There he is,” he said, nodding to a young man approaching the bar.  He was petite, with longish strawberry blond hair and big innocent eyes.  He was smiling till he saw the three determined strangers bearing down on him.  Valery reached him first. “Binky?”

            “Yes?”

            “I’m a friend of Sebastian.  Could I talk to you?”

            Binky shrugged, so with a glance at the Major Valery led him off to a table.  Klaus was left with Dorian, who had evidently used up his store of discretion for the evening.

            “This may take a few minutes.  Shall we dance?” he invited with a grin.  Klaus’s expression replied for him. “I promise not to embarrass you.”

            “When do you not?”

            “That’s not fair, darling.  I go to great pains not to cause you embarrassment--”

            “You _are_ a great pain.”

            To Klaus’s surprise, that made the blond laugh.  Rather than stalk off, Dorian caught the Major’s arm and pulled him toward the dance floor.  Klaus actually took several unwilling steps before bringing them to a halt.  Before he could think of something crushing to say, however, Valery was back beside them.

            “I have an address,” he told them, overlooking any incipient fireworks. “An inn that Sebastian took them to.  Binky says they spent the night there, and in the morning Sebastian was gone.  Binky had to find his own way back to town and was not happy about it.”

            “You are saying Sebastian disappeared on his own?” Klaus demanded.

            “According to Binky, he must have.  He didn’t wake up when Sebastian left the room, so there can’t have been intruders or a struggle of any kind.” Valery’s face was not revealing his thoughts. “We need to visit the inn.”

            “Of course,” Dorian said. “We may as well stay there tonight.”

            Valery turned to go, and only then did Klaus realize that not only did Dorian still have a hold on his wrist, but that he himself had at some point grasped the thief’s upper arm.  Even he recognized it as a very possessive pose.

            “Imbecile,” he muttered, following Valery out.  He didn’t specify whom he was addressing.

            The inn turned out to be a charming little B&B south of London.  They arrived shortly before midnight and had to ring a bell to get service.  The woman who came out of a back room did a double take when she saw them, and it didn’t help when all three tried to question her at once.  It was Dorian who won the day thanks to his aristocratic accent.

            “We’re looking for a friend who stayed here a couple of weeks ago,” he began. “His name is Sebastian, but he may have been using another name to avoid publicity.  He was with another young man.” He gave the date, then hesitated.

            “Can you tell me any more than that?” the woman requested. “The name he might have been using?  A description?”

            Dorian turned to Valery. “Have you a picture to show her?”

            Valery didn’t move. “No, I don’t.”

            Klaus made a rude noise. “You are on a missing person hunt and you did not bring a picture of him?” he repeated. “That is ridiculous.”

            “The people I associate with are camera-shy,” Valery stated rather tartly.

            “Then it is fortunate that the people _I_ associate with are not.” Klaus produced the one piece of helpful evidence he’d located in NATO’s records: a photo of Sebastian outside COA headquarters.  It had been taken with a zoom lens, so the face was quite clear, so clear, in fact, that Valery gasped aloud when he saw it. “This is our friend, Madame.” Klaus held it up for the desk clerk to study.

            She nodded. “Oh yes, I remember him.  Left without a word.  Very odd.”

            “You didn’t see him leave?”

            “No.  I saw the young man who was with him sneak out the next morning as if afraid I’d stick him with the bill, but the gentleman had paid in advance.”

            “And you never saw him again?”

            “No.  I thought he’d be back, but he hasn’t been.”

            “Why did you think that?” Klaus inquired.

            “To get his things, of course.” She looked from one to another, and Klaus imagined they must have similar expressions. “He left the jacket he’d been wearing and some toiletries.”

            When Klaus and Valery were silent, Dorian spoke up again. “We’d like two rooms for tonight, please.  Next to each other if possible.  And we’d like to see our friend’s things.”

            The woman was obliging, but Sebastian’s belongings told them very little.  The pockets of his jacket were empty, and the toiletries had evidently been purchased on route to the B&B.  Valery admitted that Sebastian frequently acquired items in this way, but he always brought them home in the fond belief he’d be prepared for his next tryst.  It was out of character for him to abandon them, much less his partner for the night.

            “Leaving without a word is not like him either,” Valery concluded once they’d locked themselves inside one of their rooms.  It was much too chintzy for Klaus’s taste, but it was clean and comfortable. “I suspect something did happen to him.  He sometimes likes to walk along the beach early in the morning.  That’s why he heads for seaside inns.  I think he meant to come back here.”

            “Then we search for him along the beach and in town,” Klaus declared, hating to hear despair in the smaller man’s voice. “If something happened to him, then someone must know what.”

            “If his enemies were able to follow him here, they would not leave witnesses.”

            Klaus refrained from pointing out that if Sebastian’s enemies were able to follow him anywhere, he should not be out wandering on a beach alone.  This whole affair struck him as a disaster that had been waiting to happen. “Do you have any other suggestions?”

            “No...”

            “Then I will say good-night.  We will meet for breakfast, yes?”

            Valery nodded, so Klaus turned to go.  He’d assumed that Dorian planned to share with Valery; if Dorian had had other plans, he was out of luck.  The blond just gave Klaus a grin.

            “Sleep well, darling,” he called. “Dream of me--”

            Klaus closed the door on him.

            For a moment the Major stood there, trying to decipher the room number on his key by the dim hallway light.  When Valery started speaking, he was outraged enough to eavesdrop.

            “You didn’t tell me NATO had a photo of Sebastian,” Valery said.

            “I didn’t find it,” Dorian replied in chagrin. “I’m not good with computers.  I was lucky to find the information you saw.”

            “Could they have one of me as well?”

            “It’s possible.  What will you do about it?”

            “I don’t know.”

            Klaus stomped to his room next door, not caring if they heard him.

            Next morning they canvassed the town and surrounding countryside.  They split up, and just to be annoying, Klaus xeroxed his photo of Sebastian at the local police station so that they could all have a copy.  He saved the worst inquiry for himself, the morgue, and was relieved to learn nothing useful there.  No bodies had been found in the last two weeks, just as no unidentified patients had turned up at the nearest hospital, and no strangers had been thrown in the jail.

            They had arranged to meet for lunch at a cafe, but when Valery arrived, he had nothing to report either.  He’d spoken to everyone in the shops, and no one had seen or given a lift to Sebastian that morning or since.  Klaus related his lack of results, then they sat and waited for Dorian.  An hour and half a pack of cigarettes later, they were still waiting. 

            “What was that prophecy you mentioned?” Klaus inquired to pass the time and to take his companion’s mind off their futile search.

            Valery met his eyes. “An old myth in the COA, that when the Chosen One and his chosen bodyguard unite, the Third Reich will rise.”

            “Unite how?”

            “That is the question, isn’t it?  The real Chosen One came to believe it meant sexually, and he attempted to force me to unite with him.” Valery shrugged at Klaus’s outraged frown. “He didn’t succeed.  The prophecy is a problem however.  If it becomes known that Sebastian and I are occasional lovers, our followers will wonder why the Empire remains dormant.  They may conclude that we are not the Chosen Ones after all.” He didn’t sound worried, as he explained a moment later. “At the rate our relationship is going, no one is going to wonder for a long time.”

            “Ah.” Klaus opted not to comment further.

            At last Dorian walked in smiling. 

            “I think we’ve found him,” he announced.  Valery rose automatically, but Dorian waved him back into his seat and took his own. “I was asking for him out by the beach.  Several people recognized the photo.  They said he’s been living in a cottage down there for the last two weeks.  Calls himself Simon.  Doesn’t do much, takes long walks but otherwise keeps to himself.”

            “I don’t understand,” Valery murmured. “Why would he want to live here?  Why wouldn’t he call me--”

            “Are you certain it is Sebastian?” Klaus asked.

            “Quite.  I went out to the cottage, but he wasn’t home.  The kettle was still warm, so if he’s taking one of his walks, we have time to get back there.” Dorian acknowledged Klaus’s scowl. “Well of course I went in and looked around.  There wasn’t much there, just a few necessities.  No indication that he means to stay.”

            Valery turned his wide eyes on Klaus. “I wish to go out there at once.  Major, do I have your word that you will not attempt to arrest him?”

            “I did not come all this way and spend all this time just to arrest the man,” Klaus told him stiffly.  He squirmed a little under the violet gaze. “Yes, you have my word.”

            “Dorian, will you take us there?”

            Dorian was watching Klaus peevishly. “Why will you do anything _he_ asks, but nothing _I_ ask?” he wondered aloud. “Anyway, I haven’t had lunch yet--”

            “Please?”

            The blond spread his hands in defeat and stood up. “Oh, all right.”

            Valery headed immediately for the door.  Behind him, Klaus nudged Dorian.

            “Why will you do anything _he_ asks, but nothing _I_ ask?” he questioned in return, his tone dry.

            Dorian grinned. “But, darling, I _will_ do anything you ask, given the right incentive.”

            “Pervert,” Klaus replied.  He left Dorian to bring up the rear.

            They followed Dorian’s directions to the cottage, which was once again empty.  It was a small, rustic place, and Valery’s expression upon seeing it clearly said this was not Sebastian’s usual style.  Rows of well-tended peonies guarded the door, and upon noting them, Valery laid his hand on Dorian’s arm.

            “Don’t pick the lock again,” he requested softly. “I don’t think this is the right man.”

            “Sebastian is not a gardener?” Klaus guessed.

            “No, I’ve never seen him touch a trowel.  He has always lived in the city.  He’s used to servants and modern conveniences and money.  I can’t fathom why he would choose to live like this--”

            “Here’s your chance to ask him,” Dorian said suddenly, and they all spun to watch a man strolling towards them up the path.  His hands were in his pockets and he appeared very relaxed, even upon seeing them at his door.

            “Hello,” he called. “Can I help you?”

            Klaus glanced at Valery, who seemed thunderstruck. “It is him?”

            “Yes...” Valery stepped forward. “Sebastian?”

            The man, a slender blond, frowned slightly and stopped directly in front of him. “I know you, don’t I?”

            “What do you mean?”

            “I’m at a bit of a disadvantage,” the man said readily. “I seem to have forgotten almost everything about myself.  But you look familiar... Have we met?” He offered his hand, and Valery took it as if it were a lifeline he didn’t mean to let go.

            “Yes.  We’ve come looking for you,” he stated. He was a couple inches shorter than the other, and for the moment managed to seem completely vulnerable and harmless. “My name is Valery.”

            Sebastian smiled at him, and Valery positively glowed. “I’m glad you’ve come.” He included Klaus and Dorian in his words, but his steady grey gaze remained fastened on Valery. “I had no idea whom to even contact.  You know me well?”

            “Very well.”

            The man ushered them into the house, apparently satisfied to leave his hand in Valery’s.  Klaus and Dorian followed them in.

            “Are you willing to leave with us?” Klaus inquired once they were settled in the parlor.  Sebastian began to lay out tea things. “This is not a social visit--”

            “Have you seen a doctor?” Dorian asked quickly.

            “No, I wasn’t seriously injured, so I didn’t think he could do much.  I had a fall, you see.  I must have slipped on the rocks and gone into the water.  Woke up on the beach with a bump on my head, but no memory and no wallet.  There was a lot of money in my pocket, so I rented this place.” He looked around in satisfaction. “It’s a fine little house.  No one has bothered me here.  I just wished I knew who I was, and now I’ll know.” He smiled at Valery again, who returned it, and together they disappeared into the kitchen.

            Klaus was somewhat exasperated.  He’d hoped for at least a kidnapping.  Amnesia was so... mundane.

            “He’s very handsome,” Dorian observed after a small silence.  Klaus snorted. “And he seems smitten with Valery.  That’s a good thing.”

            “Is it?  He seems content to live here as well.”

            “Then maybe he should.  He and Valery can be alone together.  Their relationship could use some quiet time.”

            Klaus didn’t comment on that, assuming Dorian knew more than he did. “This will have negative repercussions within the COA.  His enemies will not accept a ruler without a memory.  He could be ousted--”

            “Let’s not worry about that yet, darling.  Now that we’ve found him, they can make up some new story.  Or Valery and his friends could brief him well enough to get by till his memory returns.” Dorian crossed his legs and got comfortable on the overstuffed sofa.  Klaus sat stiffly on a matching chair. “What would it take to make you erase that photo of Sebastian from the NATO database?”

            “What?” Klaus re-focused on his companion. “I have no intention of erasing that photo.  Or any others,” he added as a deliberately provoking afterthought.

            “Not even knowing that this man is not the criminal you thought he was?”

            “He pretends to be the criminal, so we must have a record of his appearance.”

            “Valery said the real ruler is dead, so it doesn’t matter what he looks like.”

            “That is specious reasoning.”

            “That photo endangers a man who is trying to do good--”

            “The role he is playing is dangerous.  NATO does not threaten him--”

            “Others can get hold of that photo--”

            “Only verdammt thieves!”

            Dorian halted in mid-argument. “Oh.  That wasn’t intentional, you know.  I didn’t mean for Valery to see NATO’s files.”

            “But he did.  And for all I know, his contact at NATO is providing other classified information.” Klaus raised his eyebrows.

            “He’s not, I can promise you that,” Dorian said more slowly. “You’re hoping to trick me into revealing who it is, aren’t you?  It won’t work.”

            “No?  I have my suspicions already.” Klaus didn’t, but only because he hadn’t had time to consider it.  Now he did, and the answer was all too obvious.  His protégé had been caught humming around the office ever since Klaus’s stay in the hospital.  He groaned loudly. “Not _Z_!”

            “Now don’t jump to conclusions, darling--”

            “Z and that... that...” Klaus found he couldn’t call Valery some of the epithets he regularly bestowed upon Dorian.  The realization shut him up momentarily.

            “Be kind, darling,” Dorian requested. 

            “Z is not queer,” Klaus declared.  Dorian shrugged. “He is as straight as I am.”

            “...What an intriguing thing to say.”        

            “Did they really...”

            This time Dorian nodded. “Young love; what can one do?”

            Klaus closed his eyes, wishing he hadn’t discovered this.  He would never be able to look at his subordinate again without picturing him with Valery.

            Meanwhile, the couple in the kitchen rejoined them without any sign of tea.  They were again hand in hand, although Sebastian was more somber now.

            “I’ve explained a little of the situation to him,” Valery told Klaus and Dorian. “And we’ve decided to stay here a while, until I can fill him in on the rest.  We’ll notify our friends in Greece, and they’ll tell the others that Sebastian and I are on holiday together.” He smiled faintly. “This story will be eagerly believed.”

            Dorian nodded knowingly. “I wish you both luck.”

            “Thank you.” Valery exchanged a look with his partner, who showed every symptom of overwhelming infatuation.  Then he met Dorian’s eyes. “And you two?”

            “I will be returning to Bonn--” Klaus began.

            “Actually, darling, I was going to invite you to stay in London for a few days,” Dorian interrupted. “There’s room at my townhouse.  You’ve got more leave coming, haven’t you?”

            Klaus narrowed his eyes, wondering what the thief was up to now. “NATO does not expect me back till next week,” he said noncommittally.

            “Marvelous.  Then consider yourself on holiday too.”

            “I have no intention of staying with you.”

            “Please, Major,” Valery said. “I want to thank you for your help, and it’s so awkward to contact you at NATO.  If I know you’re with Dorian, I can get in touch before we leave England.  It will be before the end of the week, I promise.”

            Klaus saw signals pass between them again, and he knew he was the subject, but he didn’t mind.  Dorian had been relatively unaggravating lately, and there were no pressing missions to draw him back to Bonn.  He wanted more information about the liaison between Valery and Z, and the blond was his best source.

            “All right.  I will stay a few more days,” he announced.  Dorian seemed pleasantly stunned.  He wished he could keep the Englishman in that state. “I warn you, if you attempt any perverted act, I will leave in a minute.”

            “I would expect nothing less, darling,” Dorian assured him.

            They departed shortly thereafter, leaving Valery and his Sebastian behind to get to know each other better.  Klaus found himself hoping they worked things out; he told himself it was for the sake of the COA’s innocuous future, but privately he knew he wanted Valery to be happy.  If that meant enjoying a relationship with another man, and proving the prophecy wrong, then he only hoped it went smoothly. 

            Now if only his relationship with Dorian stood half as good a chance... Klaus caught himself thinking that and nearly gagged.  It wasn’t the same thing at all.

            Back in London, Dorian was the perfect host.  There was a spare room for Klaus and all the comforts of home, should he require them.  All he really required was some of Dorian’s time and unaffected attention.

            “We could go out tonight, darling,” the blond suggested brightly once Klaus was settled in.  He had not sat down since they arrived, and Klaus was curious to see how nervous he seemed.  For all his efforts to lure the Major into his web, this spider had apparently never decided what to do with him once he was there.

            “I would prefer to stay in and talk,” he stated.

            “Of course.  What about?” Dorian perched on a chair arm, then bounced up again. “Would you like a drink?  Brandy?  Port?”

            “No, thank you.” Klaus took the sofa.  He debated, then made the first gesture. “That photo of Sebastian is the only one NATO has.  We have none of Valery.”

            Dorian sank down into the chair. “And I can’t convince you to erase it, can I?  Of course not.” He sighed. “I’ll let Valery know.”

            “I could simply tell Z,” Klaus remarked.

            “No, they’re not in constant contact.  In any case, now that Valery has the man he wants, poor Z is going to be alone again.  He’ll need an understanding ear...” Dorian waited hopefully, but Klaus balked at the concept.  The last thing he needed was a heartbroken underling.  There was no way he was going to broach the subject with Z. “Oh well.  I’ll give him a call next week.”

            “Why am I here?” Klaus asked abruptly.

            Dorian fluttered his eyelashes. “I might ask _you_ that.”

            “Damn it, give me a straight answer for once in your foolish life!” Klaus wasn’t sure why he lost his temper; he was just fed up with the thief’s games. “Why do you pursue me?  Why won’t you give up?  I tell you you are wasting your time, yet you will not stop!  Why?”

            “Because I love you, Klaus,” Dorian stated after a small pause.  He spoke seriously and his gaze was level. “I love your strength and your courage and your honor.  I love you despite your violence and your bigotry and your bad manners.  I want you to love me.”

            “I am not queer,” Klaus said in the calmest tones he’d ever used when discussing this subject. 

            Dorian sighed. “I pray every morning and every night that that will change.”

            “I do not understand.” Klaus honestly could not conceive of a devotion that defied logic. “I have admitted that I care for you.  Isn’t that enough?”      

            “No.  It should be, but it isn’t.  Every time I see you, I love you more.”

            “What if I surrendered?  Would anything change?” Klaus tried not to be distracted by the sudden light in Dorian’s eyes. “You would still steal and lie and deceive me.  You would still interfere with my missions and corrupt my men.  What would change?”

            “I don’t know what to say, Klaus.  You’re right, all of that would be the same.  But if you surrendered to me, everything would change.  Everything.  I wouldn’t irritate you as much, I wouldn’t turn up when you didn’t want me, I wouldn’t disobey you just to get your attention.”

            Klaus’s wits weren’t so scattered that he didn’t catch Dorian’s meaning: the main thing that would change would be the Major. 

            On the other hand, the things Dorian listed would drastically improve Klaus’s life.  All he had to do was give himself to the bewitching thief...

            “If I say yes...” he began, unconsciously bracing himself to fend off an immediate physical attack, “...it is this Dorian I expect to deal with.  Not the birdbrained fop.”

            Dorian was holding his breath. “Agreed.”

            “And it must be kept absolutely secret between us--”

            “And Valery.”

            Klaus nodded. “Neither your men nor mine must suspect.”

            “Agreed.  But you understand that means our behavior in public can’t change.  You’ll have to put up with the fop.”

            “And you will have to put up with the Major.”

            Dorian nodded. “What exactly would you be saying ‘yes’ to, darling?”

            Now Klaus hesitated.  He’d never done anything this risky in his life.  For a moment he wished the KGB would raid the townhouse with weapons blazing; that would be a situation he was familiar with and could handle. “Yes, I will love you.  Yes, I will be with you.”

            The other managed to look both overjoyed and flabbergasted at the same time.  Klaus almost expected Dorian to fling himself across the coffee table, and he couldn’t have guaranteed that he wouldn’t be out the door the next instant.  Instead, to his gratified surprise, Dorian paused, smiled beautifully, then simply came to sit beside him on the sofa.

            “Thank you, Klaus,” he whispered, raising one hand to tenderly stroke the German’s cheek. “I will do everything in my power to make sure you never regret it.”

            The scent of roses engulfed Klaus, but he didn’t care.  He’d never willingly looked into the Brit's blue eyes from this distance, and he suddenly didn’t want to move away.  When Dorian leaned forward, eyes closing, Klaus did not even flinch; he returned the kiss, his heart pounding.  He waited for Dorian to go further, but to his relief, the blond didn’t try: he pressed his lips to Klaus’s, nipped gently at the skin, then pulled back.  

            “I won’t rush you, darling,” he said. “I want this to go well.  You set the pace.”

            Klaus was speechless.  He knew he wanted to pursue this, more than he’d wanted anything in a long while, but moving quickly would only make him irritable.  He needed time to learn as he went along, time to enjoy himself and his enthralling thief.

            He grasped Dorian’s shoulder as he stood up, wondering for the first time what it would be like to touch him without clothing. “I prefer a slow pace,” he said.

            “As you wish, darling.  We have all week,” Dorian replied, again smiling.  He let Klaus go into the spare room alone.  As he closed the door Klaus looked back, and the sight of his soon-to-be lover watching him happily made him smile too.

            A few minutes later, as Klaus undressed, he thought he heard his host say something.  He halted before opening the bedroom door, realizing Dorian was on the phone.  The earl’s exuberant voice reached him clearly.

            “You were right,” Dorian was saying. “He’s finally come around... How is it going with Sebastian?... That’s marvelous... Yes, we make a great team, don’t we?  Sleep well.”

            Klaus considered getting angry, as he normally would upon discovering he’d been set up.  To his amazement, he didn’t want to.  If this was going to work, he was going to have to keep his temper under wraps, at least until Dorian did something really unforgivable.  Maneuvering him into a relationship they both desired was hardly a crime.  There were sure to be plenty of those later, and in the meantime, Klaus didn’t want anything to interfere with the course of their love affair. 

            He went to bed with those words ringing in his mind. 


End file.
